Jailbreakers will rejoice to hear that third-party warranty provider SquareTrade has expanded its coverage to include jailbroken Apple iPhones. Unlike Apple’s own AppleCare+ program and standard warranty, SquareTrade will give you customer support and even replace your iPhone whether it’s jailbroken or not. This is the first time a warranty has been offered that specifically covers jailbroken iOS devices, although it’s currently unclear if jailbroken iPads and iPod touches are included.

Apple has always heavily discouraged jailbreaking, and while the practice of hacking an iOS device to run unapproved software is now legal, it still voids Apple’s warranty and guarantees you won’t receive customer support if something goes wrong. You’ll get the cold shoulder if you walk into an Apple Store with an iOS device running Cydia, but you can also un-jailbreak your iPhone before you take it in to get serviced at the Genius Bar. Still, there’s always the extreme possibility that your iPhone could get bricked or iOS could stop working, and then an Apple employee would likely be able to see if you’re jailbroken before giving you customer support.

Starting at $60, SquareTrade will cover your iPhone no matter what. As long as you haven’t physically tampered or modified the hardware, it doesn’t matter if your iPhone is jailbroken or not under SquareTrade’s plan. Issues specifically related to jailbreaking (like a constantly crashing springboard due to a malfunctioning Cydia tweak) are not covered, but something that is totally unrelated, like a cracked screen, is covered.

iPhone 4S owners can buy a 2-year warranty with SquareTrade for $100, and that price includes accidental damage with a $50 deductible. A 1-year warranty can be purchased for just $60. More information is available on SquareTrade’s website.

About the author

Alex Heath is a journalist and co-host of The CultCast who lives in Lexington, Kentucky . He has been quoted by the likes of the BBC, KRON 4 News, and books like "ICONIC: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation." If you want to pitch a story, share a tip, or just get in touch, additional contact information is available on his personal site. Twitter always works too.

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